


substitute

by snjeguljica33



Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-10-02 08:39:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17261066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snjeguljica33/pseuds/snjeguljica33
Summary: new kids coming and Harvey must admit that some wiser even than him...happy New Year :)





	1. Chapter 1

"Rick Sorkin" Donna call on the next candidate, but nobody comes up.  
"Rick Sorkin" after a couple of moments she calls again, when the tall black-haired young man came in.  
"Sorry, I did not hear you," he says before Donna nods and sends him to the interview room.

At the same time, another young man storm in, somewhat breathtaking and lost, and Donna urgently just dragged him in the room behind her and closed the door.

While Harvey talks to the candidate, Donna resolves the situation, so when a policeman enters after a young man, she says that no one saw, so he went on to look somewhere else.

Harvey finally notices that he has chosen the assistant, so when everyone goes off, Donna lets the boy out of the hiding room.  
"What's your name?" she asks, and the boy smiles "Mike"  
"What was this?" she continued.  
"Why did you help me?" Mike asks impatiently.  
"Do not answer the question with another question," she looks sharply, and Mike sees that he can not play with her.  
"My friend persuaded me to do one more nonsense," he opened the briefcase on the table and Donna saw that he was full of pot "obviously he set me up. I'm sorry and thank you for saving me from prison. "

Donna smiles "This was really stupid. Why did you agree to something like that?" and Mike briefly tells her all about his bad choices, since his grandmother died.

Donna sees that he is honest even though now he is really stupid. He took him to the exit from the hotel and helped him get rid of the briefcases.  
"Mike, if you want me to help you find a job, you just have to believe me, as I trust you now."

Mike agrees. Not knowing why, he really believes her. He has learned a few things today. How your friend can betray you, and a totally unknown person can help you for no reason.

After that Mike's life begins to spin like a rollacoaster. He worked in the post office of the most famous law firm in the city. He was the nearest of what he had ever dreamed of, until Trevor's dumb ideas did not take him a different path.

But this time he could have thank him for what had happened.  
He does not often seen Donna, but he knew she was the secretary of the best closer in the city. That meant something. As far as he knew her so far, he knew she was special too.

One day he accidentally met Rick, Harvey's assistant. He was an excellent young lawyer, and from conversation with him he learned how hard that work is. Over time, they became something like a friend. Mike was here to listen about a very difficult job and what kind of Harvey is as boss.  
Rick talked to him how much he loved his job, no matter what, and Mike would have asked him to look after Donna. Mike knew she was a strong woman, but he wanted to know she was okay, at least that he owed her at least so much.

Over time, he began to think about continuing his education. He knew it would be difficult, but he was determined to succeed. He wanted the grandmother to be proud of him, although she has long since gone, he knows to look after him.

Donna helped him again. She knew him now and could see how big heart Mike had.  
"Perhaps from all that you are considering, working with people who need help would be the best choice?" she suggested.  
Social work, why not, Mike thought, it was almost as good as being a lawyer.

He had that magical memory, and somehow managed to match job and school responsibilities. He even occasionally helped Rick with a few of their cases.

And just one of those morning, when he was slept through the alarm and he was late for a couple of minutes to work, nervous and tired, finds someone sitting at his desk.

The older man looks at him seriously, but not angrily, as if to be amused by his troubles.  
"Good morning," he said sarcastically.  
"Good morning," Mike replied quietly, "and you are?" he continues as he dismisses his bag.  
"Harvey" older man says and Mike froze in place. This is Rick's boss. Why would he be here?

"Mike," he says, though he's sure Harvey knows.  
"How can I help you?" Mike still does not look at him, but feels his examination look at himself.  
"As far as I've heard you've helped me... several times," Harvey says softly, "please sit down" and Mike finally sits in the chair across from him.  
"Why are you doing here?" he asks, and Mike knows exactly what he thinks. "A job like whatsoever, pay my apartment and food."  
"I know, and you know that I did not ask that," Mike nodded in a sign to understand. Harvey has those dark eyes in which he could drown. Even worse he has a strange influence on him. He would answer him for anything without thinking.  
"I made a few stupid decisions in my life, but maybe that's better, now ..." he stopped not knowing how to justify, even though he did nothing wrong.

"Rick is a good assistant and so far I know him very well. I know precisely his boundaries. And then he admitted that you helped him several times," Harvey looks at him right in his eyes as if he wants to read his thoughts. "How could you know some of these law things?"

Mike finds no sense to lie. Some things did not say even Donna "I started studying the law and passed the BAR, to shorten I have that eidetic memory... "  
Harvey looked at him with amazement. If he hated something, there were people who in vain sought their talent. Still there was something in Mike's eyes that prevented him from being rough to him.

"Okay, I want to know more, if you have time, call me," Harvey stood up and threw his card on the table in front Mike, and before he leave say "thank you," and Mike only watches him silently as he goes.

He knew he had been fucked up so far, but now that he met Rick's boss, he realized this was a new level, and he took a deep breath, squeeze the card in his hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Mike took it and put Harvey's card back a hundred times. He could not decide whether to call him or not. What would he possibly be able to talk to him about? What Harvey might need from him anyway?

From talking to Rick, he was even a little afraid, because Harvey was supposed to be rigorous and resolute. On the other hand, why would he be afraid, Harvey is not his boss.

When he finally catches some free time, however, it decided to call.  
"Hey," Harvey comes up and goes straight to the thing, "I'm glad to hear you. Can we go for a drink somewhere?"  
"Okay" Mike agrees, and in the next couple of hours he panicly ponders what to wear, and then he simply drops off and dresses leisurely and decides not to pretend.  
Harvey needed something from him, he could keep at least his personality.

Bistro is small and cozy, but Mike sees it's expensive. Obviously, here, lawyer meets with his wealthy clients. Harvey deliberately invited him here to scare him or to impress him.  
It was not necessary anyway, Mike was already both. He only hoped he was not so obvious.

Harvey is already there, and Mike sees that in his expensive outfit he has fit in the ambience, unlike him. Get all the courage he approach and sit across Harvey. "Hey," he says, trying to look relaxed until he looks cautiously at the older man.

"Hello," Harvey responds with that seductive voice. Now he looks much more relaxed since then they met for the first time "What do you want to drink?" He asks him before waving to the waitress.  
"I'll believe you," Mike smile, and Harvey nods and orders beer for both. 

Mike notice how Harvey is different from what Rick described it.  
Harvey looks at him curiously "I would love to know more about this unsuccessful schooling..."  
"Why?" Mike asks.  
"Because I may have a job for you ..." Harvey continued.   
He read the people, that was one of his talents, but this boy was an enigma. Ever since Rick had mentioned his name for the first time, Harvey was interested in everything about him. Now as he looks at his blue eyes, he's even more interested.

And Mike decides to tell him why he is here, and not where he has always wanted to be. He had some strange confidence in him. He liked Harvey much more than he was ready to admit. Maybe one of the reasons he wanted to be like him, but he knows he is not the only one.

When he's done, Harvey takes a few moments and just watching him "Donna told me the same... "   
Mike nods, even though did not know why they would talk about him.   
"But I wanted to hear from you” Harvey continued “I would offer you a job. I saw you're more than capable, and I hear you go back to school?"

Mike still does not say anything, so Harvey asks if he wants to think about it. Mike shakes his head and drinks the beer.   
"Okay, I'd love to work with you, but I'll need a few pro bono case to get some practice."

"Why social work?" Harvey asks with interest. "Maybe I'll tell you one day, but in short I like to work with people and for people, let's stay on that for now."

They are talking about the law for a while, before Mike apologizes first and after first drink goes, due to the faculty's obligation.

Harvey stays a little longer and thinks. Mike is a total challenge. Although he would never admit to aloud, he likes Mike. A lot.

He was a little surprised by himself. He was a known womanizer. Those few experiments with college boys he do not count, so he's even more surprised at how the young man intrigues him. Perhaps because Mike is so closed and mysterious. And again it's normal, they did not know for a long time. He saw that Mike was a little bit afraid of him.   
This will be interesting. Harvey laughing as he pays the drink and leaves.

*

Mike also thinks of everything that happened. He comes back in time when Donna and he meet and smile on how his life has changed since then. To the better.  
He did not know what was happening to Trevor, nor was he interested in it. He found a new apartment, worked and educated, and now offered him the opportunity to learn something new and progress.   
He did not want to go back to the pas. This is his chance and he will grab it with both hands.


	3. Chapter 3

And so Mike rise up from the ground floor to the tallest floor of this imposing building. The look was magnificent. This is the first thing that left him breathless.

Rick's voice shakes him from his mind "Welcome" and Mike laughed until he extends his hand.

The days went mostly to work with Rick. He has not seen Harvey since they were in the bistro. Somehow he was afraid that his presence would only distracted him. This was better.

Sometimes they worked day and night, and sometimes he would have to go to school and normally sleep. Anyway, all that's done here will help him to acquire knowledge and experience.

As they agreed, Harvey occasionally took a pro bono cases and Mike was pleased to have been able to see what once will be his job.

Several months have passed when one night Harvey appears at the door of his apartment. "Heloooooo," he says cheerfully, and Mike releases him in, though he is totally surprised to see that Harvey drunk.  
"How did you know where I live?" Mike thought Harvey did not deal with such trivialities.  
"Well ... I was in the neighborhood ..." Harvey laughs hysterically as if to tell funniest joke.

Mike sat down, and Harvey sat beside him. He tries to animate him somehow and find out why he came. He deliberately does not ask if he wants to drink something, because he is afraid that both of them can cross some boundaries.

Almost all night he is listening to his drunken chatter, but he does not mind. This may be a proof that Harvey believed him, or he liked his company. Mike enjoyed it this way.

It's almost began to dawn when Harvey began to extinguish and droop to Mike's couch. Mike covered him and gently pulled hair off his face. He sends a message to Rick that he will be late, so he goes to sleep too. At least an hour or two.

*

When he woke up, immediately knew that he slept much longer than he planned. He looked at the clock and panically realized it was past noon. He got up and went to the living room, but the sofa was empty and he found a message on the table,  
"Good morning, sunny boy, sorry for last night. I give you a free day for the apology. And of course, thank you."

Mike laughs. It would be a good day for him, although he did not think he did something special last night.  
Decides to clean the apartment and visit grandmother's grave. When he returns late in the afternoon, he can not resist and call Harvey, "Hey, how was your day?" he asks, and in tone, Harvey knows he's joking with him.  
"I knew for the better. The previous night was much more interesting," he continue in the same humorous tone.  
"If you want me to cook you tonight? I do not guarantee that I will be able to compete in the place where you were last night, but I will try to,” Mike is trying to stay serious "of course, unless you have any other plans ... "  
"I would love that. I got another hour's work, so I come." Harvey answered, and before Mike managed to figure out the next humorous answer, put the handset down.

Mike only now begins to panic. Maybe he did not have to rush. He did not even know why he called him. Harvey was his boss. Nothing knew about his private life. On the other hand, Harvey showed his second, softer side last night. Even though he was under the influence of alcohol, Mike liked it very much.

From the first meeting he wanted to get to know him better. About his job-related rating, he knew everything, but he was also interested in something personal. He hopes Harvey will not pull back now.

*

Harvey was accurate. Before Mike started preparing for dinner, he appeared on his doorstep with a bottle of wine.  
"Wow," Mike looked at him gravely.  
"One glass will not kill me." Harvey smiles and takes a seat at the table, pouring their glasses as he watches how Mike works in the kitchen.

Dinner is very pleasant. Mike is an excellent chef, and wine just completes great food.  
Harvey looks tired but pleased. Little by little they open up to each other as long as they talk about topics unrelated to work.

Harvey went home this time fairly early, but at Mike's surprise the visit began to repeat regularly. Over time, they are both so natural to each other. Mike is happy every time he sees him. They look at some movies or play social games and look happy as kids. Almost never they are not running out of things to talk, but sometimes even when they are silent, it is not uncomfortable.

But there are boundaries, sure thing. Mike thinks about it every time Harvey goes home. Although he knows it is against all business laws and moral principles, Mike would gladly cross the boundaries. Indeed, he often had those dreams of his lips and hands...

He just could not read what Harvey meant about it. First of all, he did not want to lose this friendship.


	4. Chapter 4

After all that time they spent together, Mike still did not know why back that Harvey came to him drunk. Somehow this topic never came to the agenda, and he did not want Harvey to be embarrassed. Perhaps he was just afraid that Harvey would say something indefinitely, and he wanted to be important to Harvey. And above all, he still did not know why Harvey came back again and again.

He did not tell anyone about their meetings, even Donna or Rico. He did not mind that, on the contrary, he just wanted to keep their little world out of the public eye. Besides, he wanted to protect Harvey. He did not want anybody to think he had any protection because they were friends.  
And what he really was afraid someone would see how much he was in love with him.

*

Harvey invited him to the game tonight. Mike was surprised and excited to be the first meet outside his apartment.  
He did not dare to think it was something like a date, but maybe Harvey was tired of his small apartment and watching movies all the time.

As good as they were good friends, at least Mike thought so, they never talked about some things.  
Mike did not know if Harvey would go out with somebody or if he sometimes had sex dating.  
He did not have one of this for a long time, even less something to call the relationship.

Tonight Mike was more quiet than usual, so Harvey is constantly trying to get him in the atmosphere of the game, and later in the cafe where they go for a drink after the game.

"Are you all right?" Harvey asks him at one point.  
"Yes," Mike replies, but he knows he is not, even though he does not know why.  
"Do you want to go home?" Harvey as if trying to fix a suddenly cooled atmosphere.  
"OK," Mike says a little unconvincingly.  
Harvey says nothing. He just got up, paid, and both went to the car.

Harvey knew this kind of Mike too. Sometimes he was quiet and absent. He still did not know much about him, so he left things like this.  
He does not want to put pressure on him.

They walk in silence and Mike feels like something cluttered in his chest and threatens to suffocate him. He knows Harvey also feels that. He is aware that he has to do something before he explodes. And then make such a natural gesture and hope he will not scare Harvey.  
He touched his hand lightly, there in the dark on a deserted parking lot. To his surprise, Harvey accepted and clenched his hand with his own. They remain silent and enjoy this innocent and yet intimate moment.

When they enter the car, as if somebody started the movie. Mike leaned over and drop his lips to Harvey’s. They move slowly, gently, simultaneously ... as if they were finally found where they were supposed to be.

Mike brings them to his apartment and now everything is different from what he has been doing so far. They get sluggish and take off slowly until they get to his bed.

"Tell me what you want... " Harvey says calmly, quietly, totally opposed to what he looks like. Mike knows he just wants to calm him down and convince him that he is safe and will respect whatever he decides.  
Every touch and kiss are full of attention and respect. Mike has not been intimate with anyone for a long time, but he still knows this is something different from what he has experienced. Harvey merged to seem incompatible. He had everything under control even though he's crazy about him.

"Everything ..." Mike finally murmurs with a shaky voice and as if to feel Harvey's smile. When he looks at him, he sees admiration in his eyes. And Mike knows he's totally lost.

For the first time, his miraculous memory totally extinguished. Harvey is all he thinks about and what he is currently interested in. This is just a strange thing. Harvey knows all his secrets spot, all the real keys on his body. And there is nothing left for him but to obey and repent with the same measure. 

Surprisingly, despite the intense desire, it seems almost all of lasts forever. Mike through his past experience immediately see, every second here with Harvey is totally different and better. Perfect.

And when everything is over, both are exhausted and satisfied.   
They lays in Mike's bed in silence, until Mike stretched hand and touched Harvey’s, and he just intertwined their fingers as they slowly fall into sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Allegedly the night is the darkest before dawn.  
Just somehow at that time Mike opened his eyes and although knew that he in his apartment and his bed, somehow everything changed.

The body attached to his created pleasant warmth and intimacy, and he just snuggled up against him.   
He is well aware that this may be just a one-time thing and he wants to extend this as much as he can.  
He was ready for everything that happened when Harvey woke up, only hoping their friendship would not disappear.

He still dose for a while trying not to panic, but when Harvey pressed tighter and kissed his neck, all his doubts fade away.   
"Do not think so loud, I'll get a headache..." Harvey whispered into his ear.  
"Sorry" Mike responses and turned to him than kissing him on the lips "It’s Sunday," he continued quietly with hopes.  
"Thank God, does it mean that you will not get me out of bed yet?" Harvey still does not open eyes.  
Mike laughs "Well, it depends ..." and he kiss him more passionate, so it's clear that they are back to what both of them wanted for a long time. They have a lot to compensate for.

It's noon when Mike wriggle out of Harvey's hands and prepares something for eat. Everything brings to bed. Who cares about crumbs and mess. Mike certainly did not care, he could not imagine a better way to spend a Sunday.

Still no one mentions what this means, and there is no need.  
Mike just hoped Harvey would always come back.

*

Harvey went home in the evening, assuring him that he had to prepare for the new working week. They long kissed before Mike let him go.   
Now it's much harder for him. And so far have spent a lot of free time together, but this new kind of intimacy has totally kicked him out of the track. Though he did not want to name all this, his armor fell without his will.  
And he knew that Harvey was the only one for him. But he did not want to frighten him, and let things develop at its own pace.

*

It's a new week and Mike goes with his obligations. Only now is everything a little easier, everything makes sense, even 12 hours work days were not the problem.

Harvey still comes whenever its obligations permits. Mike liked their time, or whatever they were doing right now, in his apartment.

Mike loves how ever more Harvey things appear and stays in his apartment.  
He likes when they fall into bed and just hugged too tired for anything else.  
He likes to wake up before Harvey and only watches him for a few minutes.  
He likes when Harvey brings coffee and breakfast in bed and they just lazy kiss before work.  
More than anything Mike loves weekends when Harvey can not wait to strip them and both jump into bed.

Mike just loves Harvey and knows it will never change.

*

If someone at work suspects something, they does not say anything. After all, only who could guess was Donna. They really tried not to interfere private and business part of their lives, there was no need for that.

Harvey fought with his demons. He saw very good through Mike’s heart. He felt the same, but he was reserved. He still dragged past traumas that he was not ready to share with Mike.

He learns to deal with his fears and worries, but Mike broke one by one wall around him, and Harvey slowly began to open.

He knew back than in that postal room that in this boy something special, only now he realize how much he influenced his life. Mike embrace him from all sides. It was so comfortable and warm, it would be so easy to dive in...


	6. Chapter 6

One night they both slept at Mike's apartment, exhausted by the big case, when Mike woke ringing the cell phone.  
"Harvey" summoned him for the first time, and once more loudly before Harvey got the cell phone from the nightstand and pick up.

Mike looks at the clock on his cellphone ... 2:05. Harvey is listening to the voice on the other side and when he hangs up, he just says "Rick," and he stands up as well as Mike.  
Mike feels how to grow a knot in his stomach, but he does not ask any questions as long as both dress up.

In a taxi on the way to the hospital Mike still not dares to ask anything, just holding Harvey's hand like a straw of salvation. Harvey clutched and Mike knew that whatever it was going to be they somehow overwhelmed while were together.

Rick's mother, Emily, is sitting in the waiting room when they arrives and Harvey asked if she has any information. She only knows that Rick is in the operating room after the traffic accident.

Harvey helps her sit down and simply sit by her. The woman is terrified and Mike can feel it. If he hated something it were hospitals and his thoughts came back immediately when he was in hospital after the death of his parents.

Harvey devoted all attention to Emily, so he did not notice Mike leaning against the wall, fearing not to fall. He hoped that he would not betray by his own body. He's not important now. Their friend fight for life, and this woman could lose the only child.

Finally he sits on one of the free chairs so all three are just waiting. That's all they can now.   
After a while, Harvey noticed how pale Mike was. He stood up and sat beside him and caught his hand. He shivered when felt how cold he is. "Mike, are you okay?" he asks quietly, trying not to upset Rick's mother.

He knows there has some things he does not know about Mike and somehow it seems that one of these is related to what happened to Rick.  
Mike says he's nothing, just tightening his hand. Once he will tell him, now neither time nor place.

After maybe a few minutes or a few hours, no one can evaluate, doctor came out “Rick Sorkin family?”  
Emily stood up, and Harvey comes to her to help if she needs it.  
"We did all that was in our power ..." the doctor says in a learned sterile voice, and the woman near Harvey it breaks.   
Both of them help her out. There will be time for words, Mike knows it best.  
Emily had only Rick, she was in a much worse situation than Mike, which is at least stayed with his grandmother.

*

For the next few days, they were tossed around the funeral and all the obligations that had to be done. Of course, Donna did a lot of help. Rick was a favorite for everyone. He was on the good track to become an excellent young lawyer and this was so not fair.

Harvey promised Rick's mother to help her in the future. He hoped that their visitation and attendance would be at least a little comfort.

Harvey and Mike now have even more work, but they have one another. Donna looks at them on the side, she knows they've been together for awhile. They did not have to tell her, she knew they would be together from the very first time they met. These were her guys, as did Rick, and now that he was gone, he worried about them two even more.

*

After a while, life moved on. It is inevitable. Despite the tragedy that struck all the spheres of their lives, they learned something. They were lucky. Back then, one accidentally day, their paths stumbled. 

And when Mike graduated and started doing what he always wanted, Harvey would be waiting for him every night.  
And when Donna gets married one day, she'll come with her husband and kids to dinner.  
Truly, life is short, but when it is filled with people you love, everything is easy.


End file.
